Job 8, never sat ou the Lord's right hand, after that by smiting His — — — enemies He made them subject to His power, but that He is * set over all things in eternal blessedness, even before He treads under His feet the hearts of those that rebel against Him. Wherein it is made plain that His enemies being brought under, He still rules without end even afterwards. Matt. 1, Thus it is said in the Gospel of the espoused of Mary, And ^^' knew her not, till she had brought forth her first-born Son. Not that he did know her after the birth of the Lord, but that he never touched her even when he did not know her to be the Mother of his Creator. For because it was impossible that he could have touched her after he knew that the Mystery of our Redemption was transacted from her womb, plainly it was necessary that the Evangelist should bear witness of that time, of which there might be misgivings entertained by reason of Joseph's ignorance. And so it is ex- pressed here in like manner. Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will He stretch out His hand to the evil-minded; till He fill thy mouth with laughter, and thy lips with shouting. As if it were expressed in plain speech; ^ Not even before the Judgment does He abandon the life of the faithful, nor even before He appears does He forbear from smiting the minds of the evil-disposed by abandoning them.' For that the sons of perdition He torments without end, and that after that He shall have appeared His Elect reign for evermore, assuredly there is no doubt. It goes on; Ver. 2-2. They that hate thee shall be clothed with con- fusion, liii. 90. ' Confusion cloihes' the enemies of the good in the final Judgment; for when they see before the eyes of their mind their past misdeeds running over in excess to them, their own guilt clothes them on every side, weighing them dowm. For they then bear the memory of their doings in punishment, who now, as though strangers to the faculty of reason, sin with hearts full of joy. There they see how greatly they should have eschewed all that they loved. There they see how woful that was, which they now hug themselves for in their sin. Then guilt spreads a cloud over the mind, and conscience pierces itself with the darts of its rcmcmliranccs. Who then can adequately estimate how The wicked build dwellings to fall on them. 491 exceeding great will be the confusion of the wicked Then, Book when both the Judge Eternal is discerned without, and sin is - set in review before the eyes within? who are on this account brought to such a pass, because they loved transient things alone. And hence it is rightly added upon that; And the tents of the icicked shall not abide, 91. For a tent is put together that the body may be liv. preserved from heat and cold. What then is here set forth by the name of a dwelling-place, save the building of earthly prosperity, whereby the wicked are multiplying above their heads things to fall, that they may shelter themselves from the exigencies of the present life as from heat and rain. Thus they go about to rise in honours, lest they should appear contemptible. They pile up the good things of earth, and heap them high, lest they ever come to pine with the cold of want. They scorn to take thought of what is to come, and busy themselves with all their heart, that nought may be lacking in the present scene of things. They aim to spread their name, that they may not live unknown, and if every thing is forthcoming to their hearts' content, they regard themselves as proof in all things, and blessed in their con- dition. Thus in the place where they rear a dwelling-place of the interior, there surely they have their tents fixed. They bear crosses with impatience, they rejoice in prosperity without restraint. They mind alone the things that are before them, nor do they draw their breath by the yearning after their heavenly home in the remembrance thereof. They are glad that the good things are theirs, which their heart is bent on having; and there, where they rest in the body, they bury the soul too, making it a thing extinct, in that being slain with the instrument of worldly solicitude, that pile of earthly things, which they heap together hunting for them without, they are always cai'rying on them within in thought.
92. But contrariwise the good neither take the blessings ofiered them here below as any thing great, nor xery much dread the ills brought upon them. But both whilst they use present advantages, they forecast inconveniences to come, and when they lament for present evils, they are comforted in the love of the good things to follow. And they are cheered by temporal support, just as a wayfarer enjoys a 492 The righteous build not, no?' settle, here.
Job 8, bed in a stable; he stops and hurries to be off; he rests slill in the body, but is going forward to something else in imagination. But sometimes they even lon^ to meet with afflictions, they shrink from finding all go well in transient things, lest by the delightfulness of the journey, they be hindered in arriving at their home; lest they arrest the step of the heart on the pathway of their pilgrimage, and one day come in view of the heavenly land without a recompense. They delight to be little accounted of, nor do they grieve to be in affliction and necessity. Thus they that never fortify themselves against the adversities of the present time, as it were will not have a tent against the heat and Matt. rain. And hence Peter is justly rebuked, because when he '' ' was not yet confirmed in perfectness of heart, upon the brightness of ' Truth' being made known, he goes about to set up a tent upon earth. And thus the righteous are indifferent to build themselves up here below, where they know themselves to be but pilgrims and strangers. For because they desire to have joy in their own, they refuse to be happy in w^hat belongs to another. But the unrigh- teous, the further they are removed from the inheritance of the etenial Country, fix the foundations of the heart so much the deeper in the earth. It is hence that in the very beginning Gen. 4, of man's creation Enoch is born seventh in the elect family. '* It is hence that Cain calls his firstborn son Enoch, and names the city that he built after him. For ' Enoch' is rendered ' Dedication.' And so the wicked dedicate them- selves in the beginning. For in this life, which is first, they plant the root of the heart, that they may flourish here to their content, and wither root and branch to the Country that follows after. But to the righteous, Enoch is born the seventh, in that the festal dedication of their lives is kept for Heb.ii,the end. It is hence, as Paul testifies, Abraham dwells in ^',,, tents^. for he looked for a city which hath foundations, Gen. 33 i^'hose huHder and maker is God. It is hence that Jacob ]ti goes ^humbly following the flocks of sheep, and Esau coming like E. to meet him lords it with a throng of numerous attendants, latin^"^^^ that here both the Elect are without pride, and the lost swell with satisfaction in the good things of the flesh.
Deut. Hence the Lord saith to Israel, //* thou shall choose one What is built in this world will not stand. 493 from the people of the land and set him for a king over thee, Book he shall not multiply horses and horsemen to himself. And - yet the first king ' chosen from among his brethren,' so soon as he had attained the height of power, chose for himself i Sam. three thousand horsemen; he immediately launched into pride, ^^' ^* burst forth in the building up of the height he had attained, in that without he could not keep under on a level of equality all that made his spirit within rise high above the level of others. That rich man had as it were erected for himself a fenced dwelUng place, who said. Soul, thou hast much goods Luke laid up for many years: take thine ease, eat, drink, and he ^^' ^ * merry. But because that dwelling is not bottomed upon the foundation of Truth, he heard at the same moment, TIiou rer. 20. fooli this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall these things be, which thou hast prepared? Therefore it is well said. And the dwelling-place of the wicked shall come to nought. In that the lovers of this fleet- ing life, whilst they diligently build themselves up in present things, are suddenly liurried into eternity.
BOOK IX.
BOOK IX.
He explains the ninth Chapter, together with the whole of the tenth.
i. 1. Bad minds, if they have once broken out into the Hist, eagerness of opposition, whether what they hear from those that withstand them be right or wrong, assail it with con- tradictory replies; for whereas the speaker is unwelcome from being ii^ opposition, not even what is right is welcome when he utters it. But, on the other hand, the hearts of the good, whose dishke rises not at the speaker but at the offence, in such sort pass sentence on what is amiss, as to adopt still any right things that are said. For they sit the most even umpires in deciding the sense of their opponents' words, and they so reject what is put forth amiss, that not- withstanding they set the seal upon what they recognise to be delivered in truth. For among a wilderness of thorns • spica the ear ^ is generally to be found growing up from seed good for fruit. Therefore it must be managed with care by the 2 spina hand of the tiller, that, whilst the thorn- is removed, the ear be cherished, so that he, who is eager to root up what pricks, may have sense to preserve what gives nourishment. Hence in that Bildad the Shuhite had said well in enquiry, Dotlt God pervert judgment^ or doth the Almighty jwrvert justice? in that he had delivered true and forcible sentiments against hypocrites, blessed Job, seeing that they were delivered against the wicked in general, admirably treads under foot the prosecution of his own defence, and at once sanctions the truths he had heard, saying, Ver. 2. / know it is so of a truth, and that man put with God is not justijied. ii« 2. For man being put under God receives righteousness; being put with God he loses it: for every one that compares Man cannot answer God in ' one of a tlioiisand.' 495 himself willi the Author of all good things, bereaves hiroself Book of the good which he had received. For he that ascribes — ^-^ to himself blessings vouchsafed to him, is fighting against God with His own gifts. Therefore by whatsoever means he being in contempt is lifted up, it is meet that being so set up he be brought to the ground by the same. Now because he sees that all the worth of our goodness is evil if it be strictly accounted of by the Judge of the interior, the holy man rightly subjoins; Ver. 3. 1/ thou wilt contend with Him, thou shalt not he able to answer Him one of a thousand.
3. In Holy Scripture, the number a thousand is wont to be iii- taken for totality. Hence the Psalmist saith. The word Ps./Os'^; which He commanded to a thousand generations; when it is sufficiently plain that from the very beginning of the world up to the coming of our Lord no more than seventy-seven generations are reckoned up by the Evangelist. What then is represented in the number a thousand, save, until the bringing forth of the new offspring, the complete whole of the race foreseen. Hence it is said by John, And shall ^ey.20j reign with Him a thousand years; for that the reign of^* Holy Church is made complete by being perfected in entire- ness. Now forasmuch as a unit being multiplied is brought to ten, and ten being taken into itself is expanded to one hundred, which again being multiplied by ten is extended to a thousand, since we set out with one to get to one thousand, what is here denoted by the designation of ' one' but the commencement of good living } what by the fulness of the number ' a thousand,' but the perfection of that good life? Now to contend with God is not to ascribe to Him but to take to one's self the glory of one's goodness. But let the holy man consider that the man who has already received even the chiefest gifts, if he is lifted up for what has been vouchsafed him, parts with all that he had received, and let him say, If he will contend with Him, he cannot answer Him one of a thousand. For he, that ' contends' with his Maker, is unable to ' answer Him one of a thousand,' in that the man that sets himself up on the score of perfection, proves that he lacks the very beginning of good living. For we cannot ^ answer Him one of a thousand,' 496 Awe due to God's Wisdom and Might.
J'^B 9, since when we are lifted up for perfection of good life, we --— — shew that we have not so much as begun this. Now we are Lit. " then more really moved by our weakness, when by reflection, we are led to form an estimate how infinite is the power of the Judge.
Ver. 4. He is wise in hearty and mighty in strength.
1^. 4. What wonder is it, if we call the Maker of the wise, ' wise,' Whom we know to be Wisdom itself? and what wonder is it that he describes Him to be ' mighty,' Whom there is none that doth not know to be this very Mightiness itself.? But the holy man, by the two words set forth in praise of the Creator, conveys a meaning to us, whereby to recall us in ti'embling to the knowledge of ourselves. For God is called ' wise,' in that He exactly knows our secret hearts, and it is added that He is ' mighty,' in that He smites them forcibly, so known. And so He can neither be deceived by us, because He is wise, nor be escaped, because He is strong. Now, as wise. He beholds all things, Himself unseen, then, as strong, without let or hindrance. He punishes those whom He condemns. Who ordains this likewise here with mightiness of wisdom, that when the human mind exalts itself against the Creator, it should confound itself by that very self-exaltation. And hence it is added. Who hath resisted Him, and had peace?
V. 5. For He that creates all things marvellously. Himself regulates them, that after having been created, they should agree with themselves; and thus whereinsoever there is resistance made to the Creator, that agreement in peace is broken up, in that those things can never be well regulated, which lose the management of regulation above. For whatso- ever things if subjected to God might have continued at peace, being left to themselves by their own act work their own confusion, in that they do not find in themselves that peace, which coming from above they contend against in the Creator. Thus that highest Angelical Spirit, who being in sub- jection to God might have stood at the height, being banished, has to bear the burthen of himself, in that he roams abroad in disquietude in his own nature. Thus the first parent of the human race, in that he went against the precept of his Creator, was thereupon exposed to the insolence of the flesh, No peace to opjjosers of God. Instance of the Jews. 497 and because he would not be subject to His Maker in Book obedience, being laid low beneath himself, even the peace of — the body was forthwith lost to him. Thus it is well said, Who hath resisted Him, and had peace? In that by the same act, whereby the froward mind lifts itself against its Maker, it works its own confusion in itself. Now we are said to resist God, when we try to oppose His dispensations. Not that our frailty does resist His unchangeable decree, but what it has not the power to accomplish, it yet attempts. For often human weakness knows in secret the power of His dispensation, and yet aims, if it might be able, to reverse it. It sets to work to resist, but shivers itself to pieces by the very sword of its opposition. It struggles against the interior disposition of things, but, being overcome by its own efforts, is bound fast. Therefore to have peace whilst resisting can never be; for whereas confusion follows after pride, that which is foolishly done in sin is marvellously disposed to the punishment of the doer; but the holy Man, being filled with the influence of the Spirit of prophecy, while he regards in general the confounding of human pride, thereupon directs the eyes of the mind to the special fate of the Jewish people, and shews by the ruin of a single people the punishment that awaits all that are lifted up. For he immediately adds in these words, Ver. 5. Which removed the mountains^ and they knew not ivhom He overturned in His anger.
(j. Oftentimes in Holy Writ by the title of ' mountains,' alleg. the loftiness of Preachers is set forth. Of whom it is said by vi. the Psalmist, The 7nountains shall receive peace for Thy p^ ^^ ^ people. For the Elect Preachers of the eternal Land are not unjustly called ' mountains,' in that by the loftiness of their lives they leave the low bottoms of earthly regions, and are brought near to heaven. Now ' Tnith' * removed the moun- tains' when He withdrew the holy Preachers from the stubborn- ness of Judaea. Whence too it is rightly said by the Psalmist, The mountains shall be carried into the heart of the sea. p^ ^g ^ For ' the mountains were removed into the heart of the sea,' when the Apostles in their preaching, thrust off by the faithlessness of Judaea, came to the understandiug of the Gentiles. Hence they themselves say in their Acts, It tt'^^Actsis 498 ' Mountains' removed from JudcBa arid her ^pillars' shaken.
Job 9, necessary that the word should first have been spoken to you: ^^^^q\ but seeing ye put it from you, and Judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. Now this same * removing of the mountains' they themselves ' knew nothing of, who were overthrown in the wrath of the Lord;' for when the Hebrew people drove the Apostles from their coasts, they supposed that they had made gain, in that they had parted with the light of preaching, since as their deserts demanded, being stiiick with a just visitation, they were blinded by so great a delusion of the understanding, that their losing the light they accounted to be joy; but upon the rejection of the Apostles, Judaea is at once brought to destruction by the hands of the Roman Emperor Titus, and she is dispersed and scattered abroad among all nations. And hence it is rightly added to the removing of the mountains, Ver. 6. Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof shall tremble. vii. 7. For ' the earth was shaken out of her place,' when the Israelitish people, rooted out of the borders of Judaea, sub- mitted the neck to the Gentiles, because she would not be subjected to the Creator. Which same earth had pillars, in that the erection of her stubbornness, which was to be destroyed, rose upon the Priests and Rulers, the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. For in these she held in her the edifice of the letter, and in her season of peace, carried the burthen of carnal sacrifices like a fabric overlaid. But when ' the mountains were removed,' the ' pillars were shaken,' in that when the Apostles were withdrawn from Judaea, they were no more themselves allowed to live therein, who drove out from thence the proclaimers of life. For it was meet that they being brought into subjection should lose that earthly country, for the love of which they had not been afraid to assail the soldiers of the heavenly country. But upon the holy Teachers being drawn out, Judaea waxed altogether gross, and by the righteous inquest of Him That judgeth, she shut the eyes of the mind in the darkness of her delusion. Hence it is yet further continued; Ver. 7. Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and shutteth up the stars as under a seal. ^i"- 8. Now sometimes in Holy Writ by the title of * sun,* we Sun hidden and stars sealed up from those who reject Truth. 499 have the brightness of the Preachers represented, as it is Book said by John, And the sun became black as sackcloth of '— hair. For at the end of time the sun is exhibited 'likea2. sackcloth of hair,' in that the shining life of them that preach is set forth before the eyes of the lost as hard and contempti- ble. And they are represented by the brightness of stars also, in that whilst they preach right doctrines to sinners, they enlighten the darkness of our night. And hence upon the removal of the Preachers it is said by the Prophet, The Sex. 3^ stars" of the rain are uithholden. Now whereas the sun^' shines in the day time, the stars illumine the shades of night. And very often in Holy Writ by the designation of day is denoted the eternal Country, and by the name of night., the present life. Holy preachers become like the sun to our eyes, inasmuch as they open to us the view of the true light; and they shine like stars in the dark, when for the purpose of helping our necessities they manage earthly things in an active life. They, as it were, shine as the sun in the day, whilst they raise the eye of our mind to con- template the land of interior brightness, and they glitter like stars in the night, in that even whilst they are engaged in earthly action, they guide the foot of our practice, every moment on the point of stumbling, by the example of their own uprightness. But because when the Preachers were driven out, there was none who might either shew the bright- ness of contemplation, or disclose the light of an active life to the Jewish people continuing in the night of their unbelief, (for the Truth, which being cast off abandoned them, when the light of preaching was removed, blinded them in reward of their wickedness,) it is rightly said. Which commandeth the sun, andit riseth not, and shutteth up the stars as under a seal. For He would not let the sun rise to that people, from whom He turned away the heart of the Preachers, and He * shut up the stars as under a seal,' in that while He kept His Preachers to themselves in silence, He hid the heavenly light from the darkened perceptions of the wicked.
* ' The word is not ' stars' but ' drops,' neither word occurs, yet it is clear that both in the Hebrew original, as also S. Gregory read in this way.' (note in in the Vulgate and other Versions or Eened. Edit.) The text of Hugo de Paraphrases. In the Greek rendering St. Char, &c. reads 'stellse.'
500 Elijah and St. John as stars sealed up till the End.
Job 9, 9. But it is to be considered, that we shut np any thing '.^ ' ^ under seal with this view, that when the thne suits, we may bring it out to the light. And we have learnt by the testi- mony of Holy Writ, that Judaea, which is now left desolate, shall be gathered into the bosom of the Faith at the end.
Is. 10, Hence it is declared by Isaiah, For though thtj people Israel he as the sand of the sea^ yet a remnant of them shall be I^om. saved. Hence Paul saith, Until the fulness of the Gentiles 26.' should come in, and so all Israel should he saved. There- fore He That removes His Preachers now from the eyes of Judsea, and afterwards exhibits them, has as it were ^ shut up the stars under a seal,' that the rays of the spiritual stars being first hidden and afterwards beaming forth, she both being now cast off may not see the night of her misbelief, and then by being enlightened may find it out. It is hence that those two illustrious Preachers were removed, but their death delayed, that they might be brought back in the end for the purpose of preaching; of whom it is said by John, Rev. 11, 77/^56 are the two olive frees and the two candlesticks standing before the Lord of the earth. One of whom ' Truth' by His own lips gives promise of in the Gospel, saying, Matt. ^ j^iifig truly shall Jirst come, and restore all things. They then are as if the ' stars' were ' shut up under a seal,' who both at this present are concealed that they appear not, and hereafter shall appear that they may stand Him in good stead. Yet the Israelitish people, which shall be gathered in full measure in the end, in the immediate infancy of Holy Church is pitilessly hardened. For it rejected the Preachers of the Truth, it spurned the message of succour. Yet this is effected by the marvellous contrivance of the Creator with this view, that the glory of the persons preaching, which if received might have lain hid in one people, being rejected might be spread abroad among all the nations. Hence too it is fitly added immediately afterwards; Ver. 8. Which alone spreadeth out the heavens. ix. 10. For what is denoted by the name of * the heavens,' but this very heavenly life of the persons preaching, of Ps. 19,1. whom it is said by the Psalmist, The heavens declare the glory of God. Thus the same persons are recorded to be *» Vide Corn, a Lap. in 1.